AMSTERDAM – Maurice Edu and Rangers repeated as Co-Operative Insurance Cup champions with a lively 2-1 extra-time victory over archrivals Celtic at Hampden Park on Sunday.
The US international went all 120 minutes in strong fashion, switching from midfield to right back due to a back line injury moments before Nikica Jelavić's 98th minute winner.
In Belgium's Jupiler League, Sacha Kljestan made way at halftime with the game scoreless as Anderlecht eventually maintained their one-point edge on top of the table with a 3-2 victory over visiting Gent.
[inline_node:329926]Over in Turkey's second flight, 62-minute man Freddy Adu scored an opportunistic opener as promotion hunters Çaykur Rizespor climbed a spot to second with a 2-0 triumph at Akhisar Belediye Gençlik ve Spor.
Midway through the opening frame, Adu collected a 'keeper spill and spun himself into firing position to roof his second winner in three games.
In Denmark's SAS Liga, Chris Rolfe returned from 11 months on the mend with a 45-minute start in Aalborg BK's smash-and-grab 2-1 win at Lyngby. The former Chicago Fire ace managed a pair of dangerous crosses and took one corner kick playing right midfielder in a standard 4-4-2, but was cooling his heels by the time AaB scored twice over the final 13 minutes to pull to within six points of a safety spot.
Michael Parkhurst, meanwhile, was an unused sub for FC Nordsjælland's 2-1 home loss to Esbjerg.
In nearby Norway, Mikkel Diskerud and Stabæk suffered the opening day indignity of a 7-0 home loss to Lillestrøm. The US midfielder went the distance, with his 73rd-minute bid for a shutout buster cruelly tipped over the bar by the away 'keeper.
Russian Premier League action saw Tom Tomsk sub Eugene Starikov work a decent second half as support striker in a dreary 1-0 home loss to Kuban Krasnodar.
Over in the Dutch Eredivisie, Oguchi Onyewu watched from the dugout as second place FC Twente stayed a point shy of the top with a 2-0 win at Excelsior Rotterdam.
